In a world filled with conflict, one city in Michigan is celebrating its status as an International City of Peace.

A group of nonprofit organizations is hosting A Midland Celebration of Peace to commemorate this year's International Day of Peace and to educate, inform and celebrate creating peace in the community.

Judy Timmons, treasurer and historian for the Nonviolent Peaceforce Midland Chapter, one of the event's sponsors, said this Saturday's block party will have music, dancing, food trucks, games, crafts and face painting, as well as prizes for the most impactful peacemaking ideas.

"We'll have several speakers talking about International Cities of Peace and what that means," Timmons outlined. "Along with what our nonviolent Peaceforce group has been doing over the years and kicking off our Neighborhood Week, which starts on Sunday."

The Midland City Council has passed a resolution designating Saturday as the Midland Celebration of Peace, observing groups and events promoting peace. Two other Michigan cities, Houghton and Hancock, have also received the designation.

Timmons pointed out the Nonviolent Peaceforce is an international organization dedicated to transforming the way people think about handling conflict. She noted the organization travels to "hot spots" around the world and work to settle conflicts without the use of violence.

"They can't bring guns," Timmons explained. "They have to come to this neutral territory, if you will. It takes a lot of effort on the team's part, but they have been very successful in bringing a consensus and an agreement."

Timmons added being part of an organization like the Peaceforce brings a lot of satisfaction when their work brings results.

"Any time you put a spotlight on something, and it's a feel-good type of thing, it makes people feel better about themselves," Timmons observed. "We all know the good feeling we get when we help someone else, so I think we are making a difference."

Other sponsors of the event include the Midland Rotary Club and Creative 360, a nonprofit community arts and wellness organization. The event is from 2-5 p.m. Saturday at 1517 Bayliss Street in downtown Midland.

Groups supporting peace around the globe say the budget approved by Congress is lacking crucial components.

After a monthslong stalemate, Congress has approved the fiscal year 2024 budget.

Megan Rodgers, U.S. policy and advocacy manager for the group Nonviolent Peaceforce, said there are cuts across the board affecting humanitarian aid and civilian support. She pointed out the bill also does not include language recognizing unarmed civilian protection, a methodology to peacefully protect civilians in violent conflicts.

"Any violent conflict that's making headlines today, there are UCP groups that are working and very effective, have access that other traditional aid groups don't, are equipping and protecting civilians that often go overlooked and disproportionately feel the effects of this violent conflict," Rodgers explained.

Rodgers pointed out unarmed civilian protection is used around the world and the U.S. government provides funds for groups employing it.

Rodgers noted budget negotiations for next year are already happening.

"That language was not included for the first time in about five years in the fiscal year 2024 bill and we are really keen to have that included in fiscal year 2025," Rodgers emphasized.

Rodgers added Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., has a lot of influence on funds, such as for groups using unarmed civilian protection, as the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

"We have appreciated her leadership in the past but are certainly looking for more support specifically for unarmed civilian protection as well as peace building and protection in the upcoming year," Rodgers stressed.

Organizations are asking people to join them in a fast on Thanksgiving in solidarity with people suffering from war conditions in Gaza.

Groups including the Council on American-Islamic Relations Oregon and the Movement for Black Lives are calling for a global fast to highlight the dire humanitarian crisis happening in Gaza.

Je Amaechi, digital organizer for Freedom to Thrive, said Thanksgiving Day was chosen for a reason.

"That was intentional because we know a lot of people are gathering to celebrate, to feast," Amaechi explained. "We also want people to experience a slight aspect of deprivation so they can feel a little bit of what Palestinians experience daily in Gaza."

At least 12,000 people in Gaza have died since Israel began its military action there. Israel began the assault in response to an attack by Hamas on Oct. 7 that killed about 1,200 people.

Amaechi noted the event is inspired by fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan and Black August, which has a fasting tradition held in solidarity with and in commemoration of Black political prisoners.

"We were both drawing from our own fasting traditions and our cultures and understanding from those traditions that there can be sort of a spiritual framework or spiritual underpinning to the political work we're doing," Amaechi emphasized.

Amaechi added organizations like Freedom to Thrive will continue to work toward peace in Gaza.

"Fasting is not enough and we recognize that there has to be more than that," Amaechi acknowledged. "But we're hoping this can be sort of like a spiritual challenge that can help us reflect on our privileges and just consider the stark contrast with those suffering under occupation in Gaza."

Some Missourians fear an increase in hate crimes in the wake of a six-year-old's murder in Illinois this week - an incident authorities say was motivated by the Israel-Hamas war. The U.S. Department of Justice's current hate crime fact sheet finds religion-based hate crimes in Missouri have more than doubled since 2019.

Captain Corey Carlisle of the Kansas City Police Department said there are no immediate safety concerns for Kansas City metro area residents.

"We closely monitor any threats or potential threats that could be targeting members of our community. If we receive any information that there is a potential for violence towards a certain person, place or thing, KCPD will implement extra patrol and security measures to ensure the safety of all of our community members," Carlisle said.

On Thursday, the Council on American Islamic Relations or CAIR cancelled its 29th annual banquet. The hotel scheduled to host the event this weekend - in Arlington, Virginia - has received multiple threats targeting the hotel, its staff, CAIR and American Muslims.

The most recent DOJ statement involves hate crime threats made this week in North Carolina toward Muslims. And the FBI has just released detailed 2022 data on over 11 million criminal offenses nationwide, including religion-based hate crimes.

Yasir Ali, CAIR Missouri Chapter Board Chair, said it is being proactive and planning talks about guidance with authorities around the state.

"There is the fear, especially what happened in Chicago, with a six-year-old that was stabbed 26 times," Ali said. "The community is in fear. It's nothing based on evidence at this point - like, within Missouri - but overall, there is this fear of an increase of Islamophobia."

In August, a Missouri man was sentenced to prison and damages for hate crime and arson violations, after pleading guilty to burning down the Cape Girardeau Islamic Center in 2020.


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